


doit être

by yosgay



Category: Persona 3, Persona Series
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 13:52:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17163161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yosgay/pseuds/yosgay
Summary: Akihiko’s about to get serious, about to tell Minako to get it together for the team—but she just looks exhausted. Defiant and angry, but sotired.He sizes her up, taking a breath. He starts, “Listen. I’m just—”“What?” she says, a heavy exhale, like it’s all the energy she has.“…Worried.”





	doit être

**Author's Note:**

> this is for @k0urud0 for the persona secret santa exchange. i hope you like it, and that you have a very happy holiday!

The shadow before them dissipates into a smoldering black puddle, and the second it’s gone Minako's resting hands on her knees, breathing like she’s just ran a marathon. Yukari’s first to her, clasping hands on shoulders and whispering a healing spell, and she stands—less shaky this time, but the color doesn’t come back to her face.

She’s being reckless again.

Akihiko nudges her shoulder with his, letting the others go on ahead.

“You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

She shrugs him off, bristling at the contact. “I’m fine. Maybe use a buff every once in awhile, _Sanada_.”

Akihiko bites out a sigh.

“Split up,” Minako says. She spins her naginata like she’s making a point, and goes her own way.

Yukari comes back to stand next to him. “What’s _her_ deal?”

“Wish I knew,” he says, quiet, rolling his shoulders and heading to search for the stairs.

 

* * *

 

Another block of Tartarus is behind them. It’s late, and they’re all tired—pushed to their brink because their leader wouldn’t quit. Akihiko needs sleep like the rest of them, but someone has to say something.

“Arisato.”

She stops at the top of the stairs, and she’s staring daggers. It’d be more intimidating if she wasn’t half a step from collapsing, arm trembling under her weight on the railing. Akihiko’s ready to pull rank as a SEES member, ready to go stony and Mitsuru-serious and tell her to get it together for the team—but she just looks exhausted. Defiant and angry, but so _tired_.

He sizes her up, taking a breath. He starts, “Listen. I’m just—”

“ _What_?” she says, a heavy exhale, like it’s all the energy she has.

“…Worried.”

That seems to catch her off-guard.

She makes a frustrated noise. “I’m just trying to—“

“Be a leader?” he finishes.

“Yes,” she says, firmly. “I am.”

“You are. You’re—you’re doing great, Minako.” Akihiko uncrosses his arms, tries to be softer, to let her push like she needs to. “But you can’t lead if you’re hurt.”

She softens a little, her shoulders sagging with more of her weight on the banister. Her mouth opens to speak, and for a second he thinks it might be an apology—but she doesn’t get that far.

It’s an instinct, when he catches her—his arms dart out without him thinking before she can topple down the stairs, his body reacting in an instant like he’s taught it his whole life. She’s out cold in his arms, her face white as a sheet, and then he’s yelling, calling for Mitsuru or Yukari or anybody to come _help_ , panic creeping in around the edges of his focus.

She’s just tired, that’s all. He’s right, she pushed herself too damn hard. She just needs to sleep, needs rest, and then… she’ll be okay.

He brushes hair out of her face as the others gather around.

She’ll be okay—right?

She has to be.

 

* * *

 

Two days, sixteen hours. That’s how long she’s been asleep, and that’s how long Akihiko’s been awake. Not that he’s counting.

Mitsuru says she’s just sleeping off a fever. Aigis says her vitals are normal. That’s okay, she’ll be okay. And Akihiko? Well, he’s okay too. Just… tired.

But he can do tired.

It feels like he’s been fading in and out for hours, days maybe, staring out the window of the dormitory in a haze. His eyelids are drooping, him nodding off in his chair when he hears a small noise behind him. And all at once, he’s wide awake.

When Minako's eyes flutter open, Akihiko has to stop himself from launching himself out of the chair he put at her bedside. She mumbles a little, a confused question, and before he knows it, he’s grabbing her hand, delirious with relief.

She’s stares at him, eyes bleary and squinting, and when she tries to speak, it just comes out in little coughs.

“Don’t—don’t push yourself.”

She nods, blinking slowly.

“M’sorry,” she says, her voice small and scratchy, “that I worried you.”

He laughs, soft, his face wet. “That’s—that’s okay.”

“Thank you, Aki,” she whispers, before her eyes slip closed and her breathing goes deep and even. Her hand in his tightens once, before it goes slack.

All at once his relief gives way to bone-deep exhaustion, and he rests his head on her shoulder. He sleeps peacefully, for the first time in days—never letting go of her hand.


End file.
